Members

emmy akin olivo

www.acorn.wiki

Kirsten Robinson

Raising two boys and moving into further transitions in the next several years, I dream of building a small cob home on a piece of property at Priest Lake, ID. Summers there are more and more full of threat of fire, and such a beautiful and pristine area, I would like to build naturally for simplicity, beauty, sturdiness and eco friendliness that cob embraces. My goal is to take some cob building classes in the next couple of years with my boys; help with projects in the area of eastern Washington and beyond, and eventually make this dream reality. AND finish reading my cob building books!

Lori Moore

Tim Hensley

Jane Post has been a Massage Therapist for almost 20 years, a Tai Chi instructor & Martial Artist for almost 30 years and a Culinary Artist and Gardener for most of her life. She has been living in the Berea area since 1974 when she came here to attend Berea College and study ceramics. She loves cooking with and hunting for wild mushrooms, organic gardening and gathering all kinds of wild edibles.
Jane Post has been a Massage Therapist for almost 20 years, a Tai Chi instructor & Martial Artist for almost 30 years and a Culinary Artist and Gardener for most of her life. She has been living in the Berea area since 1974 when she came here to attend Berea College and study ceramics. She loves cooking with and hunting for wild mushrooms, organic gardening and gathering all kinds of wild edibles.
Her husband Tim Hensley is a horselogger, farmer, mushroom enthusiast and woodsman who has been in the Berea area since 1988. He has been marketing their home-grown and wildcrafted mushrooms and managing their well-diversified organic farming operation for around 15 years.
Their farm is located amidst over 200 acres of unspoiled Appalachian forest in the Foothills east of Berea, Kentucky. Their property includes a rich diversity of plant and animal species, and is managed as a wildlife preserve. Incredible displays of wildflowers color the hillsides in spring, an amazing variety of wild mushrooms bloom there virtually year-round, and the woods and forest edges abound with wild foods of all kinds. The half-acre, spring-fed pond above the gardens provides both irrigation and delightful swimming throughout the growing season. Their cabin at the end of the road surrounded by beautiful forest and just 15 minutes outside of Berea provides an idyllic getaway and something of a window to days gone by. Come spend a day with us; letting our experience, our home, our farm and forest feed your mind, body & soul. You will be glad you did--guaranteed!

John Powrie

I am an Australian architect who has been a university lecturer for the past 10 years. My worklife has been in the building industry, the property development industry and the education industry. The subjects I have been lecturing in include topics relating to the property industry and business management.
I want to move more into the use of sustainable natural materials and the development of easily accessible building techniques and tools. We must become more sympathetic with our planet.

Pia Louise

Where to begin ... new beginnings. I would like to build my own house. Raised the kids sold house during housing crash. Been very transient since then. I would like to learn and to also teach. Not just housing but living: sustainability and community. Being self sufficient and financially free.

Steven Johnston

I spent most of the 1990s working at various levels (local, national & international) on community development and environment issues. My work ranged from activism on those levels in Washington, D.C. to consulting with the US Agency for International Development’s Office of Environment & Urban Development on integrating NGO involvement in their projects as well as representing NGOs at meetings of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Additionally, I also have worked with grassroots organizations in Mexico and managed an Americorps program in New Mexico (San Juan Pueblo) in support of their community development, sustainable agriculture and environmental protection efforts. I began my experience with cob construction and other natural building and alternative technologies with the Cob Cottage Company during courses in Mexico (1996) and Oregon (1997). I followed that up with a Permaculture Design Course with Jerome Osentowski at the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute. After many years away from hands and feet in the mud, I am looking to get back into the world of cob! I currently consult on regenerative systems design. My wife and I are currently in Colorado, but are looking for a cob friendly place to build our own home.

Fernanda Samambaia

Fernanda grew up in Brazil, and fell in love with Oregon around 2008. She got her hands and feet in the mud soon after she moved to Oregon, becoming involved with Cob Cottage Company. She was an apprentice of Sundog School of Natural Building in 2012. She has a deep desire to shift the paradigm, and to bring the awareness of re-indigenizing ourselves.

Tammy Van

Seven Fire Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, people helping people through cultural preservation and sustainable education. In partnership with Cob Cottage Company and others, our SustainableU Project team teaches natural building and sustainable living in beautiful Bandon, Oregon since 2008.

Tyra Young

I'm Tyra from Cleveland Ohio and I now live in Georgia. I'm looking for a better way to build.

Molly Smith

House Alive

I've been building with mud since 2004. It's hard to believe it has been that long, I guess time flies when you're having fun! I've facilitated workshops and projects in several countries and continents. I love seeing people get excited about the possibilities of building with earth: everyone who works with it is amazed by how versatile, strong, and just plain fun it is.
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I have been working with House Alive on-and-off since the beginning. Conrad and I approach the process of learning to build in the same way. Workshops are focused on getting hands-on-experience, demystifying building concepts, and keeping things simple and manageable. I am always grateful for the opportunity to introduce the wonders of earth building to a new group of students!
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In addition to teaching workshops, I also have done contract work in both the "conventional" and natural building fields. In 2014 I co-wrote a book about earthen floors (“Earthen Floors: A modern approach to an ancient practice’), with the goal of making that technique more accessible for people. I am a firm believer that earth building techniques can be used by anyone almost anywhere! All that is required is a little practice and patience.

Elliann Rea

Sue Rock

I'm moving this week to a few rural acres in Joelton, Tennessee. I have been wanting to learn alternative building processes for many years. I have studied the AirCrete dome, Earthships, Eartberm etc etc but the cob has always been my favorite dream. I want to learn. I want to live well and love big. I have a grandson that I adore and want him to be connected to Earth Mother. I'm very excited to have found this website. A cob builder in California suggested I reach out to you guys. North Carolina is much closer to our family. Tally Ho!

Sundog School of Natural Building

We teach Natural Building workshops, complete cob construction, earthen plasters, earthen ovens, rocket stoves, wood-fired water heaters, earthen floors, living roofs and so much more. We enjoy helping people find ways of living that depend less on fossil fuels and more on individual creativity and collective genius using natural systems and natural materials.
At the Sundog School of Natural Building, we believe that Natural building is more than just a choice of materials or tools; it's a lever for transformation. We believe natural building is an appropriate response to a world out of balance.
Taking a Sundog workshop opens your world to a whole host of possibilities to create a different future. You can choose to take a workshop at one of our sites or be a site host for one of the gatherings by hiring SunDog natural building instructors to hold a workshop at your location. SunDog School of Natural Building offers natural building workshops, classes, consulting, and apprenticeships. Contact us to learn more.

Aresh Javadi

My roots as an artist, educator, and community activist grew from the fertile soil of Shiraz, Iran, a city of enchanted gardens, where Hafiz’ mystic love poems are recited by heart around the table.
I collaborate with people to create community and find solutions for a just world through art and celebrations, often in community gardens.
My work has included educational projects with children and young people through schools and universities as well as legislative and direct action leadership to protect and enhance hundreds of community gardens in NYC.
As the co-director of More Gardens! free South Bronx Summer Camp for children and their families, I’ve been honored to open the door to the power of nature to strengthen community and friendship for all involved. I am equally exhilarated to get dirty alongside students while embracing art, activism, and our living earth at schools and universities.
Specialties: community earth-based art collaborations, environmental speaker & presenter, summer camp co-director, direct action art coordinator, community facilitator, encampment director (defending community gardens), mayoral forum producer, media liaison, government liaison, photographer.

Michael G. Smith

Michael G. Smith has been teaching, writing and consulting on natural building for 25 years. In 1993 he co-founded the Cob Cottage Company in Oregon. He co-authored the best-selling cob building guide "The Hand-Sculpted House" (Chelsea Green, 2002) with Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley. In the late 1990's he moved to California and expanded his range of expertise to include straw bale, straw-clay, wattle-and-daub, earth bag, adobe, earthen ovens, timber framing, earthen floors, natural plasters and finishes, and energy-efficient, low impact passive solar design. He co-edited "The Art of Natural Building" (2nd edition, New Society 2015) and has contributed to several other books and many periodicals. Services include building siting and design consulting, workshop instruction, and some professional construction services.

School of Integrated Living (SOIL)

School of Integrated Living (SOIL) aims to inspire and empower students to live responsible and creative lives by providing experiential education in sustainability, integrated living and regenerative systems. SOIL is headquartered out of Earthaven Ecovillage, a 23-year old intentional community, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.

Austin Drill

Casa de Tierra is an ecologically and ethically minded endeavor that practices structurally-effective, economically-efficient, and environmentally-sustainable building methods to create homes, schools and community projects in Nicaragua.
We advocate the preservation of natural resources; encourage the use of materials that are renewable, local and low in embodied energy; promote healthier in-door air quality and working environments; foster energy efficient design strategies; and, reduce waste and pollution to create a positive impact on the local community and larger environment.
From concept to creation, Casa de Tierra strives to reduce the impact of the built environment on our natural one.

Yvonne Russell

We are in our fifties wanting to build a cob home.
We now live in Az. At this point we are just reading everything about cob building and other buildings.
I am a retired nurse and have my own business
Jay is a retired engineer.
Anyone from Arizona that can give us input? We would love to hear from you.

Laura Harrawood

A Missouri native. Raising pack llamas. Doing a lot of things the old way.

Paul Lemos

A man with dreams of building his own home, very handy with tools, been in the service industry for a very long time, come from a farming background have been working with tile and stucco past couple of years just feel that this next step in my creative process. Was married for 28 years now its my time to create.

BONNIE COFFEY

Joni Jones

It's a transitional time for me - my career, my relationships, my living space and especially my Spriitual Journey are all being considered anew. Currently a CPA by occupation, a mother of one wonderful adult daughter and a vegan leaning vegetarian with Unitarian Universalist as my faith tradition. Seeking my path and my connections to life, the human experience, our animal companions and learning to live more gently and respectfully with Mother Earth.

Andrea Lynn

Just getting started with learning about cob

Cob Code

Elizabeth Diane

ELIZABETH (”LISA”) DIANE
Has 20 years design experience in the fields of green residential design, site planning + development, civil engineering + land surveying, with a passion for the Earth and the “Architecture of the Cosmos”. She is also a professional sand sculptor. Lisa has a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis on Ecological / Green Building Design + Furniture Design from The Evergreen State College.
Lisa has built her own earthbag dome and has assisted in other natural building systems, such as cob and slip straw (light straw clay). She has also acted as general contractor for a permitted home and supervised design and construction of others.
Lisa loves to inspire others to co-create new ways of helping each other build in harmony with the earth and each other with an attitude of abundance. She is also interested in low-cost ways of building structures to provide warm, safe beautiful homes for homeless, low income and disadvantaged people.
VISIT: Lucid9Design.com

Mike Eaton

Muddbums-Natural Building

Mission:
To promote the use of environmentally conscious building materials and techniques through education, personal involvement and environmental stewardship.
Description:
Shelter is one of the basic needs to sustaining life. In a society where we have become so detached from our own living spaces and what goes into their construction, we seek to help reconnect people with a quality of life that focuses on where we spend the majority of it; the home.
General Information:
We offer private consultation and lead workshops focusing on hands-on, skill-based learning and education of design with natural elements. Contrary to popular belief, Natural Building can be a very expensive undertaking and is extremely labor intensive. We offer a unique service where we seek to partner with owner-builders interested in appropriate natural building techniques, and are willing to provide a safe and healthy environment to conduct workshops and seminars. The goal being, to provide students with the skills necessary to design and create a their own space and to alleviate some of the labor costs associated with Natural Building.

Laura Look

The Ecovillage Training Center is a living laboratory with a mandate to contribute to a more sustainable planet. We offer a unique environment for folks who are just beginning to learn and think about implementing more sustainable practices and others who have dedicated their lives to topics around permaculture.

Kelley Rustine

I have been practicing natural building since 2012 when I took a 4 month all woman natural building apprenticeship. Since then I have been exploring many aspects of working with natural materials including art installations, natural paints and plasters, workshops on cob related topics, and bottle window art.
Currently I live in Asheville NC and I will travel for natural building projects!

Megan Toben

Since its inception in 2005, a beautiful and resilient community has formed around the Eco-Institute. Members of this community include parents, teachers, entrepreneurs, students, artists, professionals, activists and children of all ages.
Each year, we host workshops in practical sustainability skills, field trips for school groups, summer camps for kids, seasonal celebrations, community gatherings, and three seasonal sessions of the residential Odyssey Fellowship Program for young adults.
We are one strong local center among many who are part of a global awakening to the detrimental effects of the Industrial Growth Economy, working for a shift towards a Life Sustaining Society. In the words of our friend and teacher Thomas Berry, we dream of a mutually enhancing Human-Earth Relationship.

Jeni Fan

Michael McDonough

Matt Anderson

WALL to WALL is a natural building workshop series happening this spring in the Willits, CA area. Renowned natural builder and author Michael G. Smith will lead each of the 5 workshops, which will occur between May 20 and June 28, 2016 at Ridgewood Ranch.
WALLTOWALLWORKSHOP.COM
Each day will include about 3 hours of lectures and slide presentations covering building science, design methodology and 6 hours of hands-on building. The techniques taught include cob, strawbale, light straw/clay, earthen floors, cordwood masonry, earthbag foundation, clay plasters, natural paints and more!
The curriculum will build upon itself throughout the series, resulting in an advanced training appropriate for professionals as well as first time owner-builders. WALL to WALL is also designed so that you may attend any number of individual workshops if you’re interested primarily in a specific technique.
We will be constructing a multi-purpose pole-barn studio, seamlessly blending all of these techniques into a single structure. Delicious organic meals will be prepared 3 times daily, and workshop participants are encouraged to camp on-site at the beautiful 5,000 acre Ridgewood Ranch, located in the heart of Mendocino County, California.
The schedule is as follows:
May 21-24: Earthbag Foundation & Cob
June 4-7: Light Straw/Clay & Cob
June 11-14: Cordwood, Cob and Earthen Floors
June 18-21: Straw Bale & Plasters
June 25-28: Natural Floors, Plasters, Paints & Finishes
There is early bird pricing for those who register before April 20, and additional discounts for couples, families and friends attending together. Kids 13 and under are welcome for a minimal fee.
Come prepared to work hard, make new friends, learn many skills, and open new doors into a sustainable future!
You can learn more and register on our website at: WALLTOWALLWORKSHOP.COM

Kelly Nafie

After 15+ years in the community development field, including Peace Corps, a Master's in Intercultural Leadership, D.C./big-city madness, and all the mainstream jazz, I fell out of romance with my computer and began to explore cob amidst seasonal work, adventure, and internal metamorphosis. What started as a short term mud fling has become a healthy, long-term, inspired passion for building! In the past three years, I have studied, worked and played under Ianto Evans, Linda Smiley, Betty Seaman, Allie Maggio, Rebekah Lesher Hacker, Pedro Pizarro Villalobos, Bernhard Masterson, David Gonxales, and Tammy and Bob Van on projects in Mexico, Arizona, California, and Oregon. I enjoy building from the ground up (including lugging large stem wall boulders across ravines, which, yes, I consider “meditative” :) ), renovating existing structures, slathering on uber-creamy finish plasters, inspiring others (especially women!) to build their own homes, and collaborating on projects with crews from around the world. I am giddily anxious to further explore and perfect earthen renovation of trailers and other low-energy-efficiency dwellings into sustainable, efficient, cozy homes with Betty Seaman in Los Olivos this coming year. My always-more-muddy-than-necessary bag of tricks includes light straw clay, cob, bale cob, strawbale, earthen plasters, lime plasters, lime fresco, lots of laughter, chocolate, and directions to the nearest hotsprings.

bearfoot

I am the co-owner of Earth Ayni in Costa Rica, a center for healing, wellness, and sustainable living.
My interest in natural building began during my years as an artist whose work was inspired by environmental issues. In sharing what I have learned and bringing awareness to the global community, I hope to empower others to be self-sufficient and to live a more eco-conscious and healthy life. I continue to search for new, sometimes ancient methods of creating a world in which we can live in harmony with Pachamama and each other.
I have learned from and worked with many talented people and organizations such as Gernot Minke, Cal-Earth (The California Institute for Earth Art and Architecture), Solar Living Institute, Midwest Permaculture, Cob Cottage Company, Ka’Way Monti School for Sustainability (Peru), and the Masonry Heater Association of North America. Clients have included The AVANI Organization (India), Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute, and Adventist Health International (Africa).

Jared Capp

J. “Cappie” Capp
Bio: I own Pangea Design, a natural building company in Spearfish, South Dakota, USA. I lived in my first off-grid home in 2004 - it was a 1993 International school bus that I modified with PV solar and a composting toilet. Last year, I completed my code-approved off-grid, straw bale home. I also work as a ‘conventional’ builder that focuses on reused, natural, and locally-sourced materials. In 2016, I have contracts to build residential and commercial straw bale structures, and I will continue to offer instruction in natural building with workshops during our summer season.
http://www.pangeadesigngroup.com.

April Leasa

Roberto Barbagalllo

Tobias Roberts

The best place to learn natural construction (with an emphasis on cob) in the cloud forest of El Salvador´s El Trifinio Biosphere.

Brandy Reedy

Homeowner, Yorkshire terrier owner/breeder, working on first novel, stay with Mother most of the time to take care of her as she is almost 71 years old, and we have 30 acres of land..I would love to start a survivalist community on my property! I have the blueprints for free energy...no fuel required, and invented by Tesla! Finding the people to trust to live here for free is the biggest problem I think I would ever encounter! Would love to have a community garden and around 5-8 homes on property w/free energy! I believe in trust and loyalty, and honesty! If you don't have that, basically you have nothing, no matter what the relationship! Right now I am not as educated as I would like to be on building cobb homes! I hope to host an event in the future! I am located in N.E. Ms. If anyone would like to contact me and discuss cobb/survivalists my email is bsreedy69@gmail, or I frequently check vandergrayson@yahoo.com more often as I.V. van der grayson is the alias I plan to publish my novel under!

Laurrien Gilman

CultureSeed is a WA state Non-Profit dedicated to inspiring and supporting Thriving Global Communities~! We host experiential programs and transformational events at our home base, Atlan Center as well as elsewhere in the world. our offerings include: Permaculture, Natural Building, Healing, Visual Arts and Culture-crafting.

Diane Maldonado

Hello all! I am single mother who is pursing her lifelong dream of living in the country. Living in South America and growing up on a farm had a huge influence on me and therefore I am pursuing this "risky" endeavor as my family and friends would say. I have never been more content and full of joy living this type of lifestyle. I am starting my own unique business and am still learning all there is to know about sustainability. I hope to quit my day job one day and fully depend on the land and myself. I did a year and half cob building apprenticeship and now am ready to host my own workshops and teach about this type of lifestyle while learning as I go. I live on 20 acres and am eager to teach and learn.

Christo Markham

Carrie Lewis

Cob Designs is a Bellingham, Washington based business focusing on natural materials in place of conventional products used in construction.
Cob Designs strives to empower people and lessen our impact on the world. We support a strong, aware community thru natural building workshops for cob and bale/cob structures, garden walls, earthen ovens, and floors.
Through hands on practice we aim to connect with our surroundings, gain skills that lead to self sufficiency, and to create community with our neighbors.
Natural building creates healthy spaces for everyone to live and work in. This includes being conscious of the resources we are collecting, and aware of the footprint we are making.

Ardis White

I have gardened for many years. I have also designed spaces, remodeled a number of homes and managed construction of several homes. I am interested in transitioning from traditional methods to more ecologically sustainable approaches to building and living.

Amy Love

Tamsen Cassidy

Living in Haines Alaska and looking for sustainable and low cost building techniques and builders! Recycle and upcycle...envisioning a self sufficient lifestyle with animals as a my primary focus, and growing in the Alaskan climate... I am a Help Exchange host and this has been the best experience of my life...community thrives when there is exchange. I hope to own acreage to produce fiber, dairy, eggs and also to host yak tours...

Cliff Davis

Cliff Davis has vast experience in the fields of permaculture, food forestry, organics, appropriate technology, natural building, deep nature connection and regenerative agriculture, that allow him to offer an integrative approach to land and culture repair. Cliff first became involved in natural building in 2004 when he helped build a cob shed with Christina Ott of Barefoot Builder. He went on to study other forms of natural building, eventually teaching courses and working as a freelance natural builder. He has 11 years of direct experience with a variety of methods, including, timber framing, earthen ovens, cob, strawbale, thatch, cordwood, straw/clay slip, earthbag, natural plasters, living roofs, organic round pole framing and more. He is co-owner of Spiral Ridge Permaculture and Edible Habitats Design Studio.

Raymond Cirino

After twenty years of fine woodworking, he moved to Los Angeles to work as an industrial designer and artist, opening a new world of discovery as an artist inventor. From 1998 to 2010 articles on his creative abilities were published in seventy-five magazines, twenty websites, ten books and eight newspapers. He was interviewed on seven radio shows and seen twice on TV. In 1998 a full page photo of his Water Woman sculpture was featured in the Smithsonian Magazine in an article about the Burning Man festival. Subsequently, Ray founded two Water Woman festivals based on permaculture techniques and sustainable art. In 2002, he began studies in permaculture,cob building, and continues as a top innovator in this movement focused on sustainable energy, agriculture, water, and shelter systems. After adding permaculture to his skill set, he now has the ability to turn a problem into the solution.
Today Ray teaches young people proven sustainable skills and methods. A prime mover and shaker in a world that has become less sustainable, he promotes the abundances nature offers. Ray Cirino celebrates and teaches the opportunities that give birth to Ecological, Psychological, and Spiritual Sustainability at a time when we face great challenges as a species.

Pablo Loayza

The Natural Living School is a place where people can come and gain the experience and confidence they need to simplify their lives, learn to live in balance with nature, and to feed their spirits. Our participants learn how to legally construct an affordable, naturally built cottage, create a home garden with the potential for self sufficiency, and experience the art of natural living. The school is a drug and substance free atmosphere.

Dawn Marie

Conrad Rogue

House Alive has been teaching workshops in natural building since 2001. we have taught well over 1000 students and built more than 50 structures all over the world.

Andrea Rook

You are likely to find Andrea, her daughter and friends giggling at a local cafe, chatting about the ordinary events of our lives and community. Professionally, Andrea focuses on customer service work primarily for non-profit clients. Andrea teaches Aqua fitness at the YMCA and volunteers her fundraising skills for a variety of projects.

marie owen

Permaculture School

Permaculture School: Design Ecology & Living Skills is a year-long ecological learning journey that begins with a 12-week residency in Asheville, NC; May 23 - August 14. The program is designed for those who want to build their Permaculture projects, pathways, and careers. You are especially encouraged to apply if you are on a path toward being a permaculture leader, professional, practitioner, educator, activist, or advocate. Seats are limited. College credit is available. For more info >> www.ThePermacultureSchool.org/PS.

Scott Senske

Ashevillage Institute

Julie schatz

anita hollman

suzanne maese

Greg Allen

Born and raised in Upstate NY. Studied design in school, followed by Natural Building as part of the Cob Cottage Company's 2008 apprenticeship program. Now I live in a strawbale house in Snow Camp, NC with my partner and son. Our Mud Dauber School of Natural Building, founded in 2014, was the reason for buying land, and continues to be our passion.

Andrew Glikin

What is Raw Roots Farm?
Raw Roots Farm is a small, 5 acre organic vegetable farm located in the Sierra Nevada foothill town of Catheys Valley. It is run by Andrew and Lauren Glikin who plan to sustainably manage a local, naturally-grown, community farm that will produce enough food to support at least 40 families in Mariposa and Merced counties. The farm runs year-round and produces a diverse quantity of crops that are compatible with the seasonal climate they are grown in. The food is sold at local farmer’s markets and on the farm directly through a community shared agriculture (CSA) program. Raw Roots Farm also serves as a space to share and teach sustainable living practices like natural building, solar technology, grey water systems, and many more.
Our Mission
Raw Roots is dedicated to providing local, natural, and sustainable grown produce for our Mariposa, El Portal, Catheys Valley and Merced community members. We promote a healthy and engaging community environment through the shared production of organic produce. Our practice of farming is done in accordance to and with the respect of the local environment and the balanced global system we live in. We will expand our program in the next year to educate the entire community on how sustainable living can easily become an integral and instinctual part of their lifestyle. Education will not only occur directly at Raw Roots but will also be taken into the surrounding community.
We Believe
* Every person deserves the right to know not only where their food comes from but that it is healthy and safe.
* Every person deserves the right to be a part of their local community.
* A truly sustained community is a community that supports one another.
* Sustainable food comes from local businesses, not global or national ones.
* Every person should be able to have a hand or a say in growing their own food if desired.
* The practice of agriculture should be done in accordance to and with respect to the land around it, i.e. conservation and sustainable management.
* Food should be grown without the addition of harmful pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, or any genetically modified seeds.

Martyn Sidaway

Brenda Quintero

Golden Rocks Permaculture Farm seeks to promote the concepts of Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share. We are passionate about the abundance of nature all around us, and look for ways to share teachings that afford all peoples an opportunity to live richly, working with the earth to manifest solutions for our basic needs.
We are excited to offer Cob House workshops!! Specifically geared towards affordability, our workshops aim to provide students with the confidence, knowledge and community support needed to realize their own affordable passive-solar home.
Golden Rocks Permaculture Farm offers a private room, a bunk room, and private and group camping spaces. Our workshops participants are nourished in first-class style, with fresh, local organic meals from the massive Golden Rocks market garden, here on the property.

Eva I Vanderbelt

Reno, Nevada 89502

Ryan Lambert

Jamela Neal

Tree Rozelle

Mission
To promote the use of environmentally conscious building materials and techniques through education, personal involvement and environmental stewardship.
Description
Shelter is one of the basic needs to sustaining life. In a society where we have become so detached from our own living spaces and what goes into their construction we seek to bring people back in touch with their quality of life through focusing on where we spend most of it, the home.
General Information
We hold workshops, build, and educate on Earthen Building techniques. Currently our feet and hands are in the mudd building with COB.

abdallah abolehiah

Tammy Van

Start at the Source with Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley, co-authors of The Hand Sculpted House

marcia trotchie

Tess Clearman

I live in Montana and am looking for a way to not be in mortgage debt for the remainder of my life.

Alison McKenzie

I'm a 51 year old woman whose dream is to acquire some land and build a cob home for my retirement. I currently live in Kingman, AZ. Don't know that I will necessarily settle here. Would probably love to eventually do this in Oregon, but we'll see. Right now I'm interested in helping with cob building as work exchange on my days off - I usually have a few days at a stretch but I do work most Saturdays. I'm willing to drive 4-5 hours away to help out, and would love to have a place to sleep in exchange for my labor.

Andrea

Canadian Earth Institute

Sasha Rabin

Sasha Rabin has been practicing natural building as well as teaching it since 2002, when she began her building career with an apprenticeship at the Cob Cottage Company. Since then she has taught all over the US through the organizations that she co-founded, Seven Generations Natural Builders and Vertical Clay, as well as collaborated with other schools and organizations including The Yestermorrow Design Build School, The Canelo Project, The Solar Living Institute, Quail Springs Permaculture, as well as taught at the Permaculture Research Institute in Jordan. Although she enjoys building, her true passions lie in the teaching and sharing natural building with others. Visit Sasha’s website at EarthenShelter.com to learn more.

Tinece

Natural Builders of the Upstate

Natural Builders of the Upstate is helping to promote natural building in the Upstate of South Carolina. This group is for anyone who wants to get their hands dirty and learn more about building with Natural Materials (cob, slip-clay, straw bale, earthship biotecture, earthbags, earthen plasters). Members will have many opportunities to learn and get hands on experience with natural building through workshops, guest speakers, community gatherings, green home tours, and helping build natural homes.

Ziggy

Robin Goodman

Middle aged female with an artist heart and deep desire to build a cob home in North Carolina in Greene County. I am interested in living free, gardening, rocket mass heaters, prepping, solar, and numerous topics related to this life style. Would enjoy meeting others with similar desires in the Kinston/Greenville area. Will be taking a workshop soon and will need helpers for my own home!

Alexander Maggio

Allie Maggio is an instructor with the Cob Cottage Company and teaches building cob, including walls, arches, windows, rubble foundations, siting, and roofs. He is a father of 3 home-schooled children, and is an accomplished carpenter and forester. There will be another instructor for this workshop (to be announced) and will also include staff with cob building experience.

Dave Olsen

Dave Olsen completed a cob workshop led by Ianto Evans in 1996 and has had mud (and sourdough) on his hands ever since. He began hosting Natural Building workshops in 2007, began instructing the revolutionary "Fast Cob" mixing and building methods in 2009, and turned 50 in 2013. Based on off-the-grid Lasqueti Island, he also hosts an apprenticeship that goes well beyond Natural Building, helping younger people develop responsible and environmentally sustainable lifestyles with enjoyment and ease. Dave has been very fortunate to have worked with many of the leading cob builders of our time and to have a dynamic, cob- and bicycle-loving daughter (and dog!).

Scott Howard

Scott Howard is an ecological designer and artisan who has taught workshops, designed and built around the world for over ten years. His workshop offerings include a wide variety of skills and topics in natural building, permaculture, and eco-technology. Workshops are offered in many countries, where cross-cultural experiences enrich the learning process.

Ms. Mikel Carmon

I am the host for a cob cottage workshop. I attended a great workshop last year and was totally inspired and now am hosting a cob cottage intensive in the Juniper Mountains located near Seligman, AZ. We are off the grid. My background is in healing and counseling. I have just been certified in Eden Energy Medicine and I love this work. Also, being "grounded" for optimum health is salient. What better way to be grounded than living and enjoy your own cob guest house, office, home, etc. We invite you to come join us for great food, community and impeccable facillatators to learn about building your own cob project and putting your own creativity into it. For more information: email fc4126@gmail.com or call 307.277.1235. My best and warmest regards, Mikel

Steven Westbrook

Angie Bales

Angie operates The Baleyree Shire, a 12 acre farm and natural building workshop site in Tennessee with her partner, Jamie Tyree. We encourage natural builders who are just starting out in their careers to contact us when they're ready to lead their own workshops.

Shawn King

Shawn and Melissa Rae King have been building with earth, demonstrating, and teaching others in earth building and earthen plasters for more than four years. Projects include multiple earthen ovens, earth benches, and tiny earthen houses. Shawn has trained both at Cob Cottage Company and at Cal Earth. Both Melissa and Shawn are instructors with Cob Cottage Company and have worked closely with Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley as well as other members of the Cob Cottage Company teaching community.

Alex

Jamie Brandenburg

Meadow Creek Mountain Ranch is located at the foot of the Cherokee National Forest in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. The Ranch is off the beaten path yet located within an easy drive of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and several other beautiful destinations in Tennessee, as well as Asheville and Hot Springs, North Carolina. We are new to this area and new to the Ranch life. We are very excited and ready to create a sustainable community here!